BREAKAWAY ATHLETIC TRACK HURDLE AND TRAINING DEVICE
A training device includes a first leg, a second leg, and a top board connectable to the first leg and the second leg. The top board has a first position transverse to a path of travel between the first leg and the second leg providing a releaseable obstruction along the path of travel. The top board further includes a breakaway joint operable to release at least a portion of the top board to a second position on an impact to the top board thereby providing an open passageway through the top board along the path of travel.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/747,273, filed Oct. 18, 2018, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELDThis application generally relates to athletic track and field hurdles and athletic training devices.
BACKGROUNDThe sport of athletic track and field is popular and highly competitive. Athletic track hurdle races are viewed as one of the most challenging and physically demanding of the running-type events. Conventional hurdle designs have long been problematic in potential injury to athletes due to the high-speed impact of the runner's legs with a hard top board of a hurdle and/or entanglement with the subsequent toppling forward of the hurdle.
Other hurdle-like training devices are also popular in collegiate and professional physical conditioning. These devices may be smaller and lower-height devices used in closely-positioned repetitive rows for speed, agility, and coordination training for athletes. These devices suffer from disadvantages that athletes may step on the rigid structures and sprain ankles and knees.
SUMMARYDisclosed herein are various embodiments for a breakaway athletic track hurdle and training device which resolves or improves on prior athletic track hurdle and training devices.
In an example embodiment of a breakaway hurdle, the hurdle includes a base and two vertically-oriented legs laterally spaced across the base. The legs may be telescopically adjustable in height relative to the base. The hurdle includes a dual hinge design including a pair of leg hinges, one hinge rotatably connected to each leg. The dual hinge further includes a pair of top board hinges, one top board hinge rotatably connected to each leg. In various embodiments, the top board includes a first top board connected to one of the top board hinges and a second top board connected to the other of the top board hinges.
In various embodiments of a hurdle, a breakaway joint is positioned between the first top board and the second top board. The breakaway joint may include at least one permanent magnet connected to one of the first or the second top board and a ferromagnet member positioned on the other of the first or second top boards opposite the magnet. When the first and second top board are positioned in a first or operative position, a magnetic force between the magnet and ferromagnetic member causes the magnet and the ferromagnetic member to be attracted to one another such that the magnet and the ferromagnetic member are connected to one another to keep the top boards in a horizontal position obstructing a runner moving toward the hurdle along a path of travel.
On impact of a runner with one of the first or second top boards, the impacted top board rotates about the top board hinge to release or overcome the magnetic force connecting the magnet and the ferromagnetic member of the breakaway joint, causing the first and the second top boards to separate. Through the force of gravity, the released first and second top boards rotate downwardly about the leg hinges to a second position thereby removing the obstruction thereby providing an unobstructed pathway for the runner to pass through the hurdle without a significant impact with the top bar or possible entanglement with the base. Thus, when the first and second top boards separate, the first and second top boards may rotatably move, by way of the dual hinge design, around a first axis parallel with the legs of the hurdle and around a second axis perpendicular or normal to the legs of the hurdle.
In various embodiments, physical training devices may be formed that are similar to track hurdles but with different dimensions than a track hurdle. For example, such a training device may include a base, legs of a height significantly less than a track hurdle, a top bar positioned at a much lower height relative to the ground than a track hurdle top bar, at least one of each of the top bar hinges and leg hinges, and a breakaway joint as described above. In use, if a training athlete steps on the top bar, the top bar breaks-away in the manner generally described above thereby eliminating or reducing possible injury to knees, ankles, or feet of the athlete.
These and other aspects of the present disclosure are disclosed in the following detailed description of the embodiments, the appended claims and the accompanying figures.
The invention is best understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is emphasized that, according to common practice, the various features of the drawings are not to-scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity.
The following description of example methods and apparatuses are not intended to limit the scope of the description to the precise form or forms detailed herein. Instead, the following detailed description is intended to be illustrative.
There is a need for an improved athletic track hurdle that, on impact by a runner, the top board releases allowing the runner to “run through” the hurdle without a substantial impact or toppling over of the hurdle. The same breakaway concept is equally applicable to smaller training devices which athletes jump over.
With reference to the figures, various embodiments of improved breakaway athletic track hurdles and training devices are described herein. The athletic track hurdles and training devices disclosed herein may be used in competition, physical training, or in any other context in which it is desired use a breakaway track hurdle type device as disclosed herein. Various examples of breakaway athletic training devices according to various embodiments are shown and described with respect to
In just one example, the hurdle 10, 10A may have a lateral distance between the outermost lateral outer surfaces of the first foot 30 and the second foot 50 may be anywhere from 38 to 50 inches (e.g., 38 inches, 39 inches, 40 inches, 41 inches, 42 inches, 43 inches, 44 inches, 45 inches, 46 inches, 47 inches, 48 inches, 49 inches, 50 inches). The lateral distance between the first foot 30 and the second foot 50 may vary depending on the training or competition purposes, applicable athletic competition rules, and/or other factors.
In various embodiments, alternate forms of bases rather than the base 14 may be used. For example, some embodiments may not be in the form of a traditional track hurdle. In various embodiments, the base 14 may be a single, continuous member, such as in the shape of a “U”, “C”, “W”, “V”, or other configurations that suit a particular application or desired shape. In various embodiments, the base 14 may have fewer, different, or additional components than those shown in
Still referring to
In the example hurdle 10, 10A of
In the example of
The leg 79 of the hurdle 10, 10A may further include an upper member 100 that includes a first end 104 and a second end 108. In the example, upper member 100 is telescopically received inside lower member 80 and selectively moves relative to lower member 80 along height axis 124 as shown in
The upper member 100 further includes a front side 110 (shown in
As best seen in
It is understood that locking member 120 may take many different forms including, for example, manual pins or other devices which are manually inserted through aligned holes in both of the lower member 80 and upper member 100 to adjust the height of upper member 100 and subsequently the top board 26 as desired. Another example of a height locking device is shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The double-hinge 160 further includes the leg hinge 190. The leg hinge 190 is rotatably connected to the second end 108 of the leg upper member 100 on the rear side 114. The leg hinge 190 is rotatable about an axis of rotation 196 relative to the respective leg 79, 79A. When the hurdle 10, 10A is in the first or operative position, the axis of rotation 196 is generally perpendicular, or normal, to the axis of rotation 170, the first leg 79, the second leg 79A, the first top board 130, the second top board 142, and the crossmember 70. Further when the hurdle 10, 10A is in the first or operative position, the axis of rotation 196 is generally parallel to the path of travel 66 of a runner, the first foot 30, and the second foot 50. In the example of
As further described below, top board hinges may rotate about axis of rotation 170 relative to leg hinge 190, and leg hinge 190 may rotate about axis of rotation 196 relative to leg 79, 79A. When the hurdle 10, 10A is in the first or operative position, the axis of rotation 170 is generally parallel to the first leg 79 and the second leg 79A. Further when the hurdle 10, 10A is in the first or operative position, the axis of rotation 170 is generally perpendicular, or normal, to the first top board 130, the second top board 142, the axis of rotation 196, the crossmember 170, the first foot 30, and the second foot 50. In the example as best seen in
Referring to
The breakaway joint 230 further includes a first ferromagnetic member 234 having a first portion 238 and a second portion 240 as shown in
Still referring to
The breakaway joint 230 further includes a first magnet 260 having a first end 264 and a second end 266. In the example shown, the first magnet 260 is fixedly connected to a lower portion of the second end 138 of the first top board 130 below the first ferromagnetic member 234. A second magnet 270 having a first end 274 and a second end 276 is fixedly connected to an upper portion of the second end 150 of the second top board 142. As illustrated, when the breakaway top board 26 is in a first operative or competition position shown in
In
The breakaway joint 230 may be formed from other materials and combinations than described above and illustrated. For example, a single ferromagnetic member and a corresponding single magnet may be used instead of two each as shown. Although permanent bar magnets are shown, other types or forms of magnets may be used, and of different strengths to suit a particular application. Depending on the desired attractive force for breakaway joint 230, variations of the configurations of the top board second ends 138, 150, the magnets 260, 270 and ferromagnetic members 234, 250 may be used to suit the particular properties or application. In various embodiments, selective engagement attractive devices or members may be used instead of, in addition to, or in combination with the magnets 260, 270 and ferromagnetic members 234, 250. For example, electromagnetic devices may be used to selectively energize and attract another material, for example the ferromagnetic members 234, 250. Further, it is contemplated that the strength of the permanent magnets or electromagnets could be selected and/or changed to suit a particular competition. For example, the same hurdles 10, 10A with the breakaway joint 230 could be set in one competition for young kids so the attractive force is low, thereby easily breaking away, while being set with a high attractive force requiring a higher impact force for older kids, high school, collegiate or Olympic athletes in other settings. In one example (not shown), the permanent magnets 260, 270 could be removable such that the magnets 260, 270 are easily replaced and temporarily secured with different strength magnets to vary the impact force required to release the breakaway joint 230.
Other breakaway type of materials or components may be used other than magnets and corresponding ferromagnetic materials. For example, other breakable or releaseable devices and materials may be used to join or releasably connect the first top board 130 and second top board 142 together. In one example not shown, a fracturable device, for example a polymer strip or tie may be used to temporarily secure the second ends 138, 150 together. The tie could fracture on impact and simply be replaced with a new tie thereby restoring the breakaway top board 26 to a first or operable position ready for competition. In another example, hook and loop type temporary connections may be used. In another example, corresponding shapes on the first top board 130 and the second top board 142 could releasably fit together with a compression fit. Other breakaway materials or components may be used instead of, in addition to, or in combination with the various embodiments described herein.
In the example of
In use, the hurdle 10,10A is raised to a first, operative or competition position as shown in
As a runner approaches the hurdle 10, 10A along the path of travel 66, the breakaway top board 26 is transverse to the path of travel 66 thereby providing an obstruction, the breakaway top board 26, when the runner passes between the legs 79, 79A when moving along the path of travel 66. If the runner does not vertically clear the breakaway top board 26, the runner may hit or impact one or both of the first top bar 130 or the second top bar 142. If the runner impact force is high enough, it will overcome the attractive force between the magnets 260, 270 and the corresponding ferromagnetic members 234, 250 and the breakaway joint will release or disengage.
Substantially simultaneous with the impact and release of the breakaway joint 230, the top board hinges 166 will allow rotation of one or both of the first 130 and second 142 top boards about the axis of rotation in a direction of the path of travel 66. This rotation of the first top bar 130 or the second top bar 142 about the axes of rotation 170 without forcing a raising or rotation of the base 14 as with conventional hurdles, eases the impact force that the breakaway top board 26 inflicts on the runner.
Further, as the rotation of the top boards 130, 142 causes release of the breakaway joint 230 and thereby disengagement (of attraction) of the first top board 130 from the second top board 142, the force of gravity pulls down on the now unsupported and cantilevered first top bar 130 and second top bar 142 which may still present at least a partial obstruction to the runner along the path of travel 66. At substantially the same time or shortly after the time in which the first top board 130 and the second top board 142 disengage, the leg hinges 190 allow the first top bar 130 and the second top bar 142 to rotate downwardly through rotation about the axes of rotation 196 to a second or disengaged position, such as that shown in
The substantially simultaneous double hinging and double rotation about the axes 170 and 196 allow the first top bar 130 and the second top bar 142 to “breakaway” and rotate outwardly along the path of travel 66 and downwardly removing the prior obstruction to passage of the runner “through” the top board. The greatly reduced impact of the top board to the runner is a significant improvement over prior design creating a safer competitive environment for athletes of all ages and competitive levels.
Once a particular race or training run is complete, any impacted and “sprung” hurdles 10, 10A in a second position as shown in
Referring to
Retractable pins 300 or other devices are connected to the second connecting rods 298 to transfer rotation or movement of second connecting rods 298 to the pins to selectively engage or disengage the pins 300 with the mounting holes in the leg upper member to selectively secure or lock the height of the breakaway top board at the desired height. A user may step on or depress the pedal or foot activation pad 294 to disengage pins 300 from the mounting holes because the rotational movement transferred to the first connecting rods 296 by the pedal or foot activation pad 294 cause the second connecting rods 298 to move vertically within the legs of the hurdle. The user may then manually raise or lower the breakaway top board to the desired vertical height while the pins 300 are disengaged from locking the height of the legs. The user may then depress or release the pedal or foot activation pad 294 thereby re-engaging the pins 300 to temporarily lock the legs and therefore the breakaway top board at a desired height. Other components, configurations, and process steps may be used to adjust the height of the hurdle than those shown in
In various embodiments, an electronic locking mechanism (not shown) may be used. For example, depression of a pedal, foot activation pad, or other interface may send a signal through hard wires or wirelessly to an electronic device, for example an electronic solenoid which actuates a motor or other activation device to engage or disengage pins 300 from mounting holes in the legs.
In various embodiments of athletic training devices as described herein, a hurdle or physical conditioning device may be much lower and/or narrower device than the hurdle 10, 10A shown in the figures and described herein. In such examples, the hurdle or physical conditioning device may be sized such that it is useful for high speed, repetitive, low height leg, and/or knee movements for agility training. For example, in some training regimens, devices with a height of 4-10 inches (e.g., 4 inches, 4.5 inches, 5 inches, 5.5 inches, 6 inches, 6.5 inches, 7 inches, 7.5 inches, 8 inches, 8.5 inches, 9 inches, 9.5 inches, 10 inches) and 8-16 inches in width (e.g., 8 inches, 9 inches, 10 inches, 11 inches, 12 inches, 13 inches, 14 inches, 15 inches, 16 inches) may be placed in rows, similar to street tires or parallel ropes. The training devices described herein may therefore be configured as miniature hurdle-like devices with breakaway crossmembers or top boards 230 as generally described herein. Instead of having to raise the runner's entire legs up and over a full-size hurdle (e.g., over the hurdle 10, 10A), lower height athletic devices may only require an athlete to slightly raising the knees/feet/ankles, for example in quick side-step movements over the ankle or shin high devices for different types of athletic training or competition.
The upper portion 900 further includes a first top board 906 and a second top board 908 connectable by a breakaway joint 910. The breakaway joint 910 may be or may function similarly to the breakaway joints described herein, such as the breakaway joint of
In such size and configurations, a suitable sized and constructed breakaway top board may be used. In the example, a much less robust or strong attractive force may be used, but the breakaway joint of such a device may be configured accordingly and function similarly to the breakaway joints described herein. On an athlete stepping on top of, or swiping a foot into the side of the top bar, the breakaway joint may release allowing the foot/ankle/shin to pass through (vertically and/or horizontally) through the top bar thereby reducing the impact with the foot, ankle, and/or shin. Similarly, the reduced impact of the training device on the body reduces the risk of injury to the athlete. Other devices and configurations in accord with the embodiments described herein may be used and are contemplated in accordance with the disclosed embodiments.
While the invention has been described in connection with various certain embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as is permitted under the law.
Claims
1. A training device comprising:
- a first leg;
- a second leg; and
- a top board connectable to the first leg and the second leg, the top board having a first position transverse to a path of travel between the first leg and the second leg providing a releaseable obstruction along the path of travel, wherein the top board comprises: a breakaway joint operable to release at least a portion of the top board to a second position on an impact to the top board thereby providing an open passageway through the top board along the path of travel.
2. The training device of claim 1, wherein the top board further comprises:
- a first top board having a first end and a second end, the first end rotatably connected to the first leg; and
- a second top board having a first end and a second end, the first end rotatably connected to the second leg, the breakaway joint positioned between the second end of the first board and a second end of the second board.
3. The training device of claim 2, wherein the breakaway joint further comprises:
- a permanent magnet connected to the second end of one of the first or the second top board; and
- a ferromagnetic member connected to the second end of the other of the first or the second top board in proximity to the permanent magnet, wherein in the top board first position, the ferromagnetic member is attracted to the permanent magnet thereby providing the obstruction along the path of travel.
4. The training device of claim 1, further comprising:
- a top board hinge connected to at least one end of the top board and the respective second end of the first leg or the second leg, the top board hinge operable to allow rotation of at least a portion of the top board about an axis of rotation relative to the respective first or the second leg.
5. The training device of claim 4, wherein the axis of rotation is a first axis of rotation, and wherein the training device further comprises:
- a leg hinge connected to one of the first or the second leg and the top board hinge, the leg hinge operable to allow rotation of the top board hinge and the at least a portion of the top board about a second axis of rotation relative to the first or the second leg.
6. The training device of claim 5, wherein the first axis of rotation is generally perpendicular to the second axis of rotation.
7. The training device of claim 1, further comprising:
- a leg hinge connected to at least one end of the top board and the respective second end of the first leg or the second leg, the top board hinge operable to allow rotation of at least a portion of the top board about an axis of rotation relative to the respective first or the second leg.
8. The training device of claim 1, wherein the training device is an athletic track hurdle.
9. The training device of claim 1, further comprising a base, wherein the first leg and the second leg are each connected to the base, and the first leg and the second leg are laterally spaced apart from one another with respect to the base.
10. The training device of claim 9, wherein the first leg and the second leg are each pivotally connected to the base allowing the first and the second legs to rotate relative to the base between an operable position and a folded storage position.
11. The training device of claim 9, wherein each of the first and the second legs further comprise a lower member and an upper member, the upper member is moveable along a height axis relative to the lower member to selectively adjust the vertical height of the top board relative to the base.
12. A breakaway athletic track hurdle comprising:
- a base;
- a first leg connected to the base;
- a second leg connected to the base laterally distant from the first leg;
- a first top board having a first end and a second end;
- a second top board having a first end and a second end, the first and the second top board having a first operable position extending laterally between the first and second leg transverse to a path of travel between the first and the second leg;
- a first top board hinge connected to the first top board first end;
- a second top board hinge connected to the second top board first end;
- a first leg hinge rotatably connected to the first leg about a leg hinge axis of rotation;
- a second leg hinge rotatably connected to the second leg about a leg hinge axis of rotation; the first and second top board hinges rotatably connected to respective of the first and the second leg hinge and respectively rotatable about an axis of rotation relative to the first and the second leg hinge;
- a breakaway joint comprising: a first permanent magnet connected to a portion of the first top board second end; a first ferromagnetic member connected to a portion of the first top board second end; a second permanent magnet connected to a portion of the second top board second end positioned opposite the first ferromagnetic member; a second ferromagnetic member connected to a portion of the second top board second end positioned opposite the first permanent magnet, wherein on a physical impact to one of the first or the second top board, the breakaway joint releases thereby respectively rotating the first and the second top boards to a second position thereby providing an open passageway through the first and the second top board along the path of travel.
13. An apparatus comprising:
- a first leg;
- a second leg; and
- a top board comprising a breakaway joint, wherein the breakaway joint is configured to: connect in a first position whereby the top board is generally perpendicular to the first leg and the second leg, and separate in a second position whereby at least a portion of the top board is not generally perpendicular to the first leg and the second leg.
14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the breakaway joint is operable to separate in response to an impact to the top board.
15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein when the breakaway joint is in the second position, a first portion of the top board and a second portion of the top board are separated from one another.
16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein when the breakaway joint is in the first position, a first portion of the top board and a second portion of the top board are connected to one another.
17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein when the breakaway joint is in the first position, a magnetic force holds a first portion of the top board and a second portion of the top board together.
18. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a dual hinge connecting the top board to the first leg.
19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the dual hinge permits the top board to rotate with respect to the first leg along both a first axis of rotation and a second axis of rotation.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation are generally perpendicular to one another.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 18, 2019
Publication Date: Apr 23, 2020
Inventors: Edward Covalschi (Shelby Township, MI), Johnathan Small (Zionsville, IN), Steve Bollinger (Elkhart, IN), Madelyn Wesoloski (Naperville, IL)
Application Number: 16/657,465